Royal Jordanian's witty campaign turns Coldplay kiss cam scandal into marketing gold

Dubai: Jordan’s national carrier Royal Jordanian has capitalised on a recent controversy in the American tech world with a tongue-in-cheek marketing campaign, drawing attention to the resignation of a US CEO and offering discounted flights to New York under the slogan: “There’s a CEO vacancy in the USA – Fly to Apply.”

‘There’s a CEO vacancy in the US – But HR is off. Hand in Your CV in person. Fly to the US’, the ad, shared through the airline’s official social media channels, riffs on the resignation of Andy Byron, former CEO of the US tech company Astronomer, who stepped down after a video surfaced showing him embracing the company’s head of human resources during a Coldplay concert. The footage, which quickly went viral, sparked a board-led investigation and widespread media coverage.

In its sarcastic marketing campaign, Royal Jordanian invited prospective passengers to “fly from Amman to New York” with fares starting at 499 Jordanian Dinars, closing with the cheeky tagline: “Our wings… Your cold play”—a direct nod to the British rock band Coldplay at the centre of the incident.

While the campaign amused many online, it also highlighted Royal Jordanian’s tradition of weaving current events into its marketing strategy with irreverent humour. Past promotions by the airline have similarly responded to geopolitical developments, travel bans, and even international elections with sharp, culturally aware messaging.

Astronomer confirmed Byron’s resignation earlier this month, following internal scrutiny over the appropriateness of his relationship with the HR executive. However, the company named Pete DeJoy as its interim CEO.

Royal Jordanian, meanwhile, continues to ride the wave of viral headlines—with a boarding pass in hand.